Getting the Wrong Answer
by Curious Forgotten Lore
Summary: In Fred’s absence, George begins to question himself. He seeks insight from the sorting hat, and is given an answer he never expected. What happens when the answer is more confusing than the question?
1. Default Chapter

Getting the Wrong Answer

A longish drabble by Curious Forgotten Lore

AN: I'm not sure what the longest length of a drabble should be—this is 400 words. I'm not very good at drabbles and I have no idea what inspired this; it's sort of strange, but I thought I'd post it anyway and hear other's opinions. This is completely different from my first story and it's sort of an experiment, so reviews would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed my other story "Do You Believe in Magic". I received much more feedback than I expected, and I am very grateful.

Summary: In Fred's absence, George begins to question himself. He seeks insight from the sorting hat, and is given an answer he never expected. What happens when the answer is more confusing than the question?

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The battle in Hogsmeade had been brief, but had taken its toll nonetheless. George Weasley watched as his twin brother was carried past the doors of the Hogwarts Hospital Wing; where he couldn't help. Anxious, frustrated, and restless; George found himself walking to Dumbledore's office as he and his brother had done often as punishment for their pranks.

George couldn't help wondering, as he walked, what would happen to him if Fred didn't heal. His brother's injuries hadn't seemed too severe, but George worried anyway. Would he be able to run the joke shop alone? Would he even want to? Who was he, really, without his brother?

All of the Order of Phoenix knew the password to Dumbledore's office, so George said "Mars bars", and walked into the familiar room and waved to the portraits of old Headmasters. Casting his eyes around for something to take his mind off his troubles, George found the one thing that might just answer his questions. The Sorting Hat.

George felt a brief twinge of trepidation. The Sorting Hat was an ancient, powerful piece of magic. If he had learned anything from his years in the war and from his family's misadventures at Hogwarts, it was to be wary of magical objects. He pulled the ratty old hat onto his head and thought hesitantly, "Er...hello?"

"A Weasley" the hat said thoughtfully. "George Weasley. What is it you want?"

George gulped uneasily. "I was wondering... I was hoping you could tell me who I would be if I weren't a twin."

"If you weren't a twin?" the hat repeated.

"Yes. If...if Fred weren't around...I wondered...would I still be a Gryffindor? Would I still want to run a joke shop? Would I--" George didn't quite want to acknowledge his next question, but the hat finished the thought for him.

"Would you still be you."

George took a slow deep breath and asked. "Will you answer?"

"I will." The hat promised

If thoughts could be spoken in different tones, George's hesitance made his query almost a whisper "Would I? Please tell me."

"No"

The answer was no less than he expected, but somehow it almost hurt to hear it. George asked uncertainly. "What would I be then?"

The hat paused a moment to think, then replied slowly and deliberately "Without Fred, you would be...."

"Yes?" George urged

"You would be..."

"Yes? What?" George urged insistently

"Percy."


	2. Part Two

Getting the Wrong Answer part 2  
By Curious Forgotten Lore

The first part was meant to be a one-shot, but I had a plot bunny, so I thought I'd add a second chapter. I've never done anything with chapters, so this is another experiment for me; getting the upload feature to work. Sounds easy enough, but I am a bit technologically impaired.

This ficlet is also 400-words. Please read and review (it's only 400 words. How long could it take?).

I forgot to put in the disclaimer on the first chapter, but rest assured I am making no profit from this story, nor do I intend any copyright infringement.

Thanks to all the reviewers and special thanks to RedRoses2 who wanted more of this story. I hope you like it.

* * *

George ripped the hat off his head and flung it back on the shelf, hurrying away to contemplate the hat's cryptic response.

A quick stop by the Hospital Ward garnered no information. Madam Pomfrey was still busy healing and had firmly told him to leave her to her work. Still worrying over his brother and bemused by the Sorting Hat's ridiculous statement, George wandered the halls until he found himself on the Hogwarts grounds.

How could the hat say he was like Percy? The twins and Percy had always been at opposite ends of the Weasley personality spectrum. Laughing, lighthearted pranksters and pompous severe prefects had little in common. Anyone could see that.

The walk through the grounds did little to clear his head; only emphasizing the difference between George and Percy. George would have been on the pitch while Percy was in the stands. George would have been tickling the Giant Squid while Percy was sitting at the lake's edge. As George walked past the Forbidden Forest, a random thought entered his mind; George knew he never would have gone into that forest without Fred's encouragement. That was when it hit; that was when George understood.

He and Percy had one crucial thing in common; they based their decisions entirely on pleasing others. Percy was forever striving to impress authority figures; George to please Fred.

It had started a long time ago; when George was a very small child. He remembered letting Fred have first choice over their toys, letting Fred decide what games they played and what rules they broke. George liked seeing the grin on his twin's face; it was like seeing your own smiling face in a mirror. And if your reflection was smiling, naturally you would be smiling too.

Making Fred happy meant playing pranks; it meant making jokes; and it meant playing Quidditch. Luckily for George being a mischievous, witty, Quidditch player made a person very popular with his peers.

But without Fred; would George have done any of those things? Would he have laughed with large groups of friends and played Quidditch or would he have spent his days in the quiet library and got top marks in class? Without Fred, would George's instinct to please have made him forever seeking his mother's approval or his boss's respect?

Would it?

For one exhilarating moment; George felt he understood Percy.

And it terrified him.


End file.
